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Downtown St Petersb...

Downtown St Petersburg's Beach Dr. with residential towers

Downtown St Petersburg in recent years has enjoyed a renaissance that puts it in the forefront of Florida urban centers with regard to museums, varied restaurants, waterfront parks, galleries, and general walkability.  

Renaissance Vinoy Hotel just north of downtown St Pete

In 2014 Forbes Magazine commented on  downtown St Petersburg's bustling artistic and food scene:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2014/02/20/sampling-st-petersburgs-new-art-and-food-scene/


This foodie trend in St. Petersburg has only intensified in the last two years.  Locale is an outstanding gourmet market in the stylish Sundial downtown mall that reminds me of a small version of the SOHO market in Manhattan.   

                         http://www.localegourmetmarket.com/

Besides the great pubs and upscale restaurants of the downtown area, the last few years has seen a proliferation of small, independent, restaurants with highly specialized international cuisine.  These have become especially prevalent in the Edge district along Central Ave. immediately west of downtown.

The Signature Condominium Building

                                  

There is comparatively little corporate office space in downtown St. Pete as the high rise towers that continue to be belt are largely residential.  The young and mature adults--often affluent-- that are attracted to downtown St Pete are in keeping with a nationwide trend back to the city trend. Downtown St. Pete offers outstanding urban amenities such a a wide variety of restaurants, beautiful shoreline parks along the Bay, a University campus, and a bustling cultural scene.  The beautiful Mahaffey Theatre and the Palladium offer outstanding theatrical and music events all within walking distance of many of the new high rise residential towers.   The arts scene is vibrant with many new galleries and studios.  The museums

The beautiful Salvador Dali Museum

include the Salvador Dali, the St. Petersburg Museum of Art, the St. Petersburg History Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and the Chihulihy glass works museum.    The local brokerage CEO Raymond James is constructing a new James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art to house the world-class collection he has donated.
Another 2014 article that praised St. Petersburg's art, cultural, and culinary vibe is National Geographic's "Move over Miami, The Best of St Pete":

   http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/06/06/move-over-miami-the-best-of-st-pete/

Just last month a Canadian writer for the Huffington Post suggested that St. Petersburg is fast becoming America's "hottest city" in which to visit and live.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ayngelina-brogan/5-st-petersburg-travel-tips_b_10690594.html

Of course, for prospective buyers there is a price to be paid for the fact that downtown St Petersburg has been rediscovered as an urban treasure!  High-rise two bedroom modest sized condominiums in the newer stylish buildings downtown now usually sell for more than $500,000, and those with magnificent bay views generally command close to $1 million or more. Penthouses in some of these newer buildings have recently sold for more than $6 million.  Most of these newer condominium high-rise buildings are non-age restricted and offer incredible recreational amenities.  The downtown residential building boom continues!  As I write this, the ONE St Pete, a 41 story deluxe condominium building is under construction with prices slated to start at almost $600,000.

There are some more modestly priced condominium complexes in the downtown area that I will discuss in immediately following blogs.